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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27842035">Introduction to Notebooks and Contemporary Relationships</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/justabrain/pseuds/justabrain'>justabrain</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Community (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abed's notebooks, Coming Out, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Set late in season 4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:08:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27842035</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/justabrain/pseuds/justabrain</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a quiet evening, and Troy and Abed are about to settle down for a movie and buttered noodles, when Troy has something to tell Abed.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>131</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Introduction to Notebooks and Contemporary Relationships</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks to theclaravoyant for getting me into yet another sitcom, and an extra special thank you to shipperssafehaven for being an amazing beta reader for my first Community fic!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The apartment is quiet, with Annie still on campus and Abed making a large batch of noodles for the week. It’s a comfortable silence. Or, it would be. “Hey, Abed?” Troy says from the couch.</p><p>“Yes, Troy.”</p><p>“Can I… tell you something?”</p><p>Abed looks up from the pot of water that’s just starting to simmer on the stove, towards the back of Troy’s head. “Is there something wrong?”</p><p>“No, I...” Troy’s head is bent. “I think I… like you.”</p><p>Abed looks back at the pot of water as his heart begins to pound. <em> He’s just being sentimental. It’s not... that. </em> “That’s good. We’ve been friends for a few seasons now, and in most friendships, people like each other.”</p><p>“No, Abed, I—“ Troy stands abruptly and approaches Abed in the kitchen. “Abed, I <em> like </em> you. Like, a lot. Not just how friends like each other.”</p><p>Abed is quiet. <em> Three seconds inhale. Hold four seconds. Five seconds exhale. Repeat. </em> He pours the dry pasta into the now-boiling water and watches it.</p><p>“Abed?”</p><p>He turns. “I like you too, Troy. You’re the first friend I’ve had who hasn’t made me feel bad for being weird. You don’t try to fix me.”</p><p>Troy sighs and looks away. “So you just like me as a friend.”</p><p><em> No! </em> “I didn’t say that. I like you more than I like the rest of the study group. In a different way too.” <em> Just say it. </em> He retrieves the pasta from the stove and begins to drain it. </p><p>“So...” </p><p>Abed continues, still facing the sink. “Sometimes when I do simulations of the future, I do ones where we’re together. And... I like them. They’re nice.” He glances back at Troy, where he stands, frozen, half way to the counter. Abed looks away and fills two bowls of noodles. He stares at the bowls. </p><p>“R-really?” Troy steps into the kitchen. “You like me too? I mean, of course you do, that’s what you just said, I just--” He stops, and a laugh bubbles out of him. “I’m so relieved, I thought maybe you wouldn’t feel the same and I’d have messed up our friendship and I’d have to move out and we’d never see each other again and--” He sniffles, trying to hold back the tears.</p><p>Abed turns to face him, leaving the butter to melt on top of the mounds of pasta. He places his hand on Troy’s shoulder. “We would have still been friends. We survived Pillowtown and Blanketsburg.”</p><p>Troy wipes at his eyes with the ends of his sleeves. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He lets out a giggle mixed with a hiccup.</p><p>“I have something to show you.” Abed hands Troy a bowl of pasta, then leaves for the blanket fort. As Troy heads for the couch, he hears Abed open and close a drawer. Abed appears again through the sheets, now with a single, battered notebook in hand. Troy recognizes it as one that was a permanent fixture in Abed’s bag, but he had rarely seen Abed open it.</p><p>“This is your notebook,” Abed says, handing it to him. “Or, it’s my notebook, but it’s about you.”</p><p>“Like the one where you accidentally tracked the girls’, er, cycles?”</p><p>Abed nods. </p><p>Glancing at him, Troy gingerly opens the notebook to the first page. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 09/17/2009 - Main cast has been assembled.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Jeff Winger: Classic leading man archetype. Nothing more to report. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Annie Edison: High-achieving academic student archetype. Unclear why she is at Greendale. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Abed Nadir: Awkward social outcast archetype. Not often part of the main cast. Could add interesting dynamics. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Troy Barnes: Initial interactions suggest Jock archetype, but more is suspected. Suggest continued observation and analysis. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Troy skips reading the other analyses and turns a few pages.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 10/31/2009 - Halloween Costumes. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Britta - full-body squirrel costume. Possibly a lack of body confidence, or a desire to act against the societal expectation of attractive costumes. After discussion with subject, evidence suggests the latter. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Shirley - Harry Potter. Likely a desire to return to simpler, childhood times. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Troy - Eddie Murphy. Very attractive.  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Troy glances at Abed, but he avoids his gaze, instead focusing on the noodles he had retrieved from the kitchen.</p><p>The next page doesn’t have a date. Instead, the top of the page reads “Care and Keeping of Troy Barnes”.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Likes: </em>
</p><p> </p><ul>
<li><em>creating raps in Spanish</em></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><em>“messing with” people (but has agreed not to)</em></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><em>Black celebrities: Eddie Murphy, Levar Burton</em></li>
</ul><p> </p><p>
  <em> Dislikes:  </em>
</p><p> </p><ul>
<li><em>losing in sports</em></li>
</ul><ul>
<li><em>feeling stupid</em></li>
</ul><p> </p><p> </p><p>Troy skims the rest of the lists, which includes a “Do/Don’t” list, favorite songs and movies, things to avoid at all costs (ABBA is underlined twice), and mood predictors.</p><p>“Abed... This is incredible. You have some things in here that I didn’t even realize. You’ve been doing this since we met?”</p><p>Abed nods, still staring at his now-empty bowl. “You’re not mad?”</p><p>“No, Abed, I’m not mad. This... I don’t think anyone has ever cared enough about me to put this much work into... me.”</p><p>Abed sets down his bowl and is quiet for a moment. “You’re the first person who hasn’t gotten mad.”</p><p>Troy pushes the notebook off of his lap, and in two steps, he wraps his arms around Abed. “I will never be mad about this,” he says into Abed’s shoulder. He pulls back to look at Abed’s face, and Abed reluctantly meets his gaze. “I’m not mad because you are amazing and wonderful and creative and the best thing that has ever happened to me, and--”</p><p>Abed closes the space between them, placing a gentle kiss over whatever Troy was about to say next, and Abed suddenly understands the cliche of swelling music and soaring hearts, because this, <em> this </em>, is what kissing was meant to be like. </p><p>Ages later, and all too soon, they break apart, breathless. </p><p>“I love you,” Troy whispers.</p><p>“I know,” Abed answers. He’s quiet for a moment. Then, “Did you decide on a movie?”</p><p>Troy smiles and laughs a bit. “I, uh... I was actually thinking maybe we could watch more Inspector Spacetime? Since it left us on a cliffhanger last episode.”</p><p>“Good idea.” </p><p>As they settle on the couch, Troy clears his throat. “Hey, uh, Abed?”</p><p>Abed looks over at him.</p><p>“What are we going to tell the study group?”</p><p>“Well, normally something like this exists in the background for a few episodes before something dramatic happens that reveals the relationship to the group. And then there’s in-fighting and drama about why it wasn’t revealed earlier. But we could just tell them and skip over all of that.” Abed sits up. “We’re the Unlikely Best Friends That Become Gay Late In The Show!”</p><p>Troy looks at him and blinks.</p><p>“It’s... an uncommon trope,” he says with a shrug. “What episode were we on?”</p><p>“Seventeen, I think.”</p><p>As the opening sequence begins, they settle back into the couch. Troy glances over at Abed, who is watching the screen intently. Doing his best to be casual, he shifts closer to him and places his arm around Abed’s shoulders. A moment passes, and Abed leans into Troy’s embrace. A smile glances over Troy’s lips, and he presses a gentle kiss into the side of Abed’s head. Out of the corner of his eye, Troy could see Abed smile.</p><p> </p><p>——</p><p> </p><p>“Troy and Abed are togeeeether!” they sing out, walking into the study room hand-in-hand and intentionally 5 minutes late. </p><p>The group stares at them.</p><p>Pierce snorts. “Gay.”</p><p>Annie scowls at him and then sighs. “Guys, that isn’t something you should joke about.”</p><p>Shirley nods enthusiastically, clutching her purse if as to ward off some evil spirit.</p><p>“I’m sure they just meant it in a platonic way,” Jeff says, not looking up from his phone. “Not that it’s anything new, since they’re pretty much inseparable anyway.”</p><p>Troy and Abed glance at each other. “If it’s not anything new, why would we announce it?” Troy asks.</p><p>“I dunno, you guys do random stuff all the time. I’ve learned not to question it.”</p><p>They exchange another look and shrug in sync. “Fair enough,” Abed says. “But no. We meant it in a ga--”</p><p>The dean bursts into the study room adorned in the bottom half of a dinosaur costume and the shell bra of a mermaid. “Hello, hello on this glorious day that’s perfect to celebrate...” He trails off as he sees Troy and Abed standing across the room. His gaze settles on their clasped hands. “Are you--?” He looks around the table. “Are they--?”</p><p>A cacophony of “No”s and “it’s platonic”s and “just friends” comes from the table.</p><p>Troy tightens his grip on Abed’s hand and takes half a step closer to him. Abed isn’t sure which of them it’s supposed to reassure, but he’s grateful anyway.</p><p>The group’s objections finally die down into an awkward silence. </p><p>“Well, I should get going. There are dean... things.... I need to do...”</p><p>“No, stay,” Troy says. </p><p>Abed takes a breath. “We’re together. In a gay way.”</p><p>Troy cuts in. “This is maybe kinda surprising--”</p><p>A mixture of mumbles ripples through the table before Britta speaks up. “I thought-- <em> we </em> thought you were both straight.”</p><p>Troy shrugs a bit awkwardly. “I was wrong?”</p><p>“And you never asked,” Abed points out. “Gender is irrelevant for me.”</p><p>Shirley lets out a tiny “oh”. </p><p>Annie clears her throat. “Well, I’m just glad that you are both comfortable enough to tell us.” She pauses. “And it’s nice to have skipped some of the drama and secrecy that <em> usually </em> comes with relationships in this group,” she says, shooting Jeff a look. </p><p>“Not my fault,” he says, pointing at her, then around the group. </p><p>“Okay, Jeff.”</p><p>The room falls quiet for a moment.</p><p>“So you guys are... ok? With this?” Troy asks quietly. “With us?”</p><p>A chorus of “yeah”, “sure”, “of course” come from Britta, Annie, Jeff, and the dean. </p><p>“Okay. Okay! That’s good!” Troy lets out a breath and smiles at Abed. </p><p>Abed is watching Shirley and Pierce. </p><p>Shirley adjusts her posture and holds her purse tight. “Have you two... erm... <em> done </em> any...thing?”</p><p>Chaos of “Shirley!”, “That is personal--”, “--inappropriate--”, “--kind of question--”, “--their souls--” breaks out.</p><p>Abed glances at Troy. His jaw had tightened and he’s staring past Shirley. Abed squeezes his hand. After a moment, Troy squeezes back.</p><p>Suddenly Shirley stands. “I-- I can’t--” She rushes out of the room.</p><p>The silence that follows is broken by Jeff. “What about you, Pierce? You going to have a problem, or are we going to have a problem?”</p><p>Pierce shrugs. “I guess gay jokes are off limits now?”</p><p>“They were never <em> on </em> limits, Pierce!” Annie scolds. </p><p>He shrugs again. “I mean, that depends...”</p><p>“Pierce!” the other three say simultaneously.</p><p>After a pause, Abed steps towards the table, and Troy follows, half a step behind. As they sit, Dean Pelton clears his throat. “Well, boys, I’m very proud of you for accepting who you are and being open about it and <em> finally </em> officially telling us after, what, three years? Okay.” Troy and Abed exchange a look, and Abed begins to open his mouth, but Troy shakes his head. The dean doesn’t notice. “I really do have responsibili-deans, so I should get going,” he says, as he heads for the door. “Bye now! Don’t have any other major developments without me! Or do, whatever, I’m just the dean.”</p><p>Britta reaches over and squeezes Abed’s arm. He shoots her a small smile.</p><p>From across the table, Annie leans forward. “So... when did this all happen?”</p><p>“Last night. You were out late studying, so we were able to talk,” Abed says. “Troy told me how he felt, I did the same, and then we watched Inspector Spacetime.”</p><p>Jeff snorts. “Romantic.”</p><p>Britta glares at him. “<em> I </em> think it’s perfect. It’s something that they love doing together, therefore, the perfect thing to do as their first thing <em> together </em>.”</p><p>“How long have you known?” Annie asks, smiling broadly at Abed.</p><p>Abed opens his mouth to answer, when Troy lets out a half-choked whimper. </p><p>“Troy?” Abed asks, reaching for his hand again. “What’s wrong?”</p><p>Troy shakes his head slightly, then gestures vaguely towards Shirley’s empty seat. </p><p>Abed stares at the chair for a moment, then glances around the table, unsure what he should do. Britta catches his eye, and they exchange a look. She stands and hurries off.</p><p>“Do you want to move to the couches?” Annie offers gently. “It might be more comfortable.”</p><p>Troy shrugs, which Abed takes as a “Sure”. He offers his hand, which Troy takes, and they walk to the couch. Abed settles his arm around Troy, who leans into his shoulder. Annie follows them to the couches and sits opposite them. They’re quiet for a moment.</p><p>“I don’t know why I thought this would be different,” Troy says between sniffles. “With what happened that first Christmas?”</p><p>Abed “Hm”s softly. </p><p>“I guess I thought she’d change.” He looks at Annie through wet eyes. “Did we destroy the group?”</p><p>Annie sighs. “No, Troy, of course not. Shirley probably just needs some time to think. She’ll be back, I’m sure.”</p><p>Abed shoots her a small smile, then rubs Troy’s shoulder. </p><p>“It’ll take a lot more than you guys coming out to break up this group,” Annie continues. “We made it through that hot air balloon, we can make it through anything.” Abed freezes. Annie looks at him closely. “Abed? Everything ok?”</p><p>After a moment, Abed looks up. “I wasn’t totally honest about that night. When everyone was telling their secrets? I said that I didn’t have a ‘deep dark secret’ that I shared, which is only sort of true.” He pauses. “I came out to everyone.”</p><p>“Abed! Why didn’t you tell us?”</p><p>He shrugs. “It didn’t feel like a secret, really. I wasn’t embarrassed, and everyone else was when they shared their secret, so I felt like it didn’t fit. Plus, the episode was about the whole group bonding and coming together again, so it would have derailed the storyline.”</p><p>Troy lets out a small laugh through his tears. He’s quiet for a moment. “I’m scared of telling my parents,” he says softly into Abed’s side. “Especially my dad. He goes to every kingdom hall meeting. I’m so scared of losing him. I just... forgot that I could lose my Greendale parents too.”</p><p>There’s a sound at the door, and Abed looks up. Shirley is dabbing at her eyes. He glances at Britta, who gives him a small smile.</p><p>“May I?” Shirley says quietly to Annie. She nods and makes space for Shirley on the couch. Shirley sets her purse on the floor as she sits. “Troy?”</p><p>Abed feels Troy tense up slightly before turning to face her.</p><p>“I’ve done some thinking and some talking to Britta. I’ve decided that what’s most important is that I support the two of you.” She pauses. “And that you know how much I love both of you. You’re like sons to me, and <em> nothing </em> will change that. Understand?”</p><p>Abed looks down at Troy, who lets out another sob, and then a shaky breath. He nods. </p><p>“Okay. Good. Now come here,” she says, standing and opening her arms wide.</p><p>Troy stands and leans into her hug. Abed follows suit and Shirley’s arms wrap tightly around both of them. Moments later, he feels someone -- Annie? -- join the hug, and then Britta. Abed moves his head slightly and places a gentle kiss on the side of Troy’s head. Troy leans toward him, and Abed knows that they’re going to be okay.</p>
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